DDHK. ORG – Fasting has many benefits health for those who do. But, for those who have some special diseases, you should consult with your doctor first.
Reporting from Republic, One disease that is often a threat during the fasting month is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or stomach acid disease. A doctor who is used to treating gerd disease, Dr. Rostikawaty Azizah, said that gerd is a condition in which there is a decrease in the function of the stomach valve.
The valve that should be closed becomes open. The thing that distinguishes between dyspepsia and gerd is that if dyspepsia the problem occurs under the valve such as nausea and bloating.
"But for gerd, the disturbances are at the top such as bitter mouth, canker sores, bad breath, heartburn, and so on," he said in a press release received Republika.co.id, Tuesday (28/3/2023).
He said, solid activity, stress, irregular eating patterns are also triggers for gerd. On Ramadan, sufferers of stomach acid such as gerd have concerns about fasting. Given these concerns, Dr. Rostikawaty said that there had actually been research on whether gerd sufferers could fast or not.
One institution in Indonesia once conducted a study of 130 people who had been diagnosed with gerd, then divided it into two, namely 65 gerd sufferers who fasted and 65 gerd sufferers who did not fast. The result is when the gerd question is analyzed whether their gerd condition improves or not.
"Gerd sufferers who fast actually show clinical improvement compared to those who don't fast," he said.
According to him, for some people who suffer from stomach acid disorders or GERD, special attention is needed for certain types of food consumed so that it does not have the potential to increase stomach acid which causes fasting to become less smooth.
"Selecting foods that are safe and do not irritate the stomach, such as consuming foods that are easy to digest, do not contain gas, and are high in fat, is highly recommended so that the stomach is maintained," he said.
Gerd sufferers are also advised to process food in a healthier way so that food is easily digested by the stomach. To further improve stomach health during fasting, people can consume herbal honey which contains herbal ingredients such as forest honey and turmeric which can maintain stomach health.
"Consumption of honey during fasting is widely known by the public to increase stamina and endurance," he said. [DDHK News]
